Photography 101, Day 12: Architecture

Today’s assignment is: Architecture. We’re supposed to capture the beauty and/or complexity of architecture. And then, we’re to shoot or convert the image to monochrome (black and white) and see how that changes the image.

My Virignia town of Warrenton has a great historic district, so there’s no shortage of interesting architecture to photograph. I chose TheMosby House, located right on M4ain Street. I must drive past it at least a dozen times a week, but I’ve never stopped.

Until today . . . when I not only took a photograph, but went down an historical rabbit hole.

Virginia is drenched in Civil War history, and Warrenton is no exception. The Mosby House is named for its most famous owner, Confederate Colonel John Singleton Mosby. Built in 1859, the house is an example of Italianate style architecture. Mosby purchased the house in 1875, but only lived there for two years (he sold the house after his wife died).

During the Civil War, Mosby commanded the 43rd Battalion, 1st Virginia Cavalry, or Mosby’s Rangers. Nick-named The Gray Ghost, Mosby and his group of partisan rangers (they sort of had their own rules and lived outside the boundaries of the normal Confederate cavalry) successfully attacked, eluded, and frustrated the Union Army.

The legacy of The Gray Ghost can be found all over Fauquier County. In addition to The Mosby House, there’s a segment of US Route 50 (a major east-west thoroughfare running through the northern part of the county) that’s named the John S. Mosby Highway. There are numerous (preserved and remnant) Ranger “safe houses” scattered throughout the county. Colonel Mosby is buried in Warrenton Cemetery. And . . . there’s also a winery (this is a wine blog, after all) named for Colonel Mosby: Gray Ghost Vineyards.

Told you I went down an historical rabbit hole . . . back to the venue!

I couldn’t believe what monochrome did for this image.

Here are the two images side by side:

Monochrome adds an age and drama to the photo that are absent in the color version. The shadows and lines of the house appear more defined, even more significant. And there’s something about those trees that adds a chill . . . The Gray Ghost himself might just walk across that portico.